An active noise reduction (ANR) system in an earpiece-based audio device can be used to reduce background noise. The ANR system can form a compensation signal adapted to cancel background noise at a listening position inside the earpiece. The compensation signal is provided to an audio transducer (e.g., a loudspeaker), which generates an “anti-noise” acoustic wave. The anti-noise acoustic wave is intended to attenuate or eliminate the background noise at the listening position via a destructive interference, so that only the desired audio remains. Consequently, a combination of the anti-noise acoustic wave and the background noise at the listening position results in cancellation of both and, hence, a reduction in noise.
An occlusion effect occurs when earpieces of a headset seal a person's (user's) ear canals. The person may hear uncomfortable sounds from their own voice caused by bone-conducted sound reverberating off the earpiece blocking the ear canal. The occlusion effect is more pronounced if the seal is very good. The occlusion effect can boost low frequency (usually below 500 Hz) sound pressure in the ear canal by 20 dB or more.